Finally Mandy says sorry

Ex-US ambassador in U-turn over pal Epstein

- BY ASHLEY COWBURN Deputy Political Editor

PETER Mandelson has finally issued a personal apology to Jeffrey Epstein's victims for continuing his friendship with the notorious paedophile.

It comes after the ex-UK ambassador to the US, who was sacked after emails between him and Epstein came to light in September, faced criticism.

In an interview that aired on Sunday, the Labour peer limited his apology to the victims "for a system that refused to hear their voices and did not give them the protection they were entitled to expect".

After the backlash, the 72-yearold provided a statement to BBC Newsnight, saying: " I did not want to be held responsible for his crimes of which I was ignorant, not indifferent, because of the lies he told me and so many others.